TG4 appreciated the value of nostalgia from an early stage. In its Teilifís na Gaeilge incarnation, it had pioneered the broadcasting of old matches in All-Ireland Gold, which proved very popular.
Then 23 years ago, at the end of May, the first episode of Laochra Gael (heroes of the Gael) went out on TG4 on the last Monday in the month. Critical reception was good.
This newspaper contrasted the programme with “another summer of reruns, reheats . . .” on other terrestrial stations and declared that “in-depth televisual analysis of the GAA world remains a relatively new concept, one ripe for exploration”.
Its first subject was Ger Loughnane, the colourful Clare manager who had led the county to its first All-Ireland hurling titles in over 80 years. The Irish Times outlined the programme about him. “A complex individual, here he discusses his playing days, the controversies that have marked his career – and the nagging insecurities that continue to drive him.”
On Monday at a launch in Dublin’s Lighthouse Cinema, the latest series of Laochra Gael, the 22nd, was launched – the only years missing since the start are 2003 and 2009.
It will also feature a landmark, according to TG4 Head of Sport Rónán Ó Coisdealbha.
“Up to last year we’ve broadcast 192 programmes so by mid-March we will have our 200th in the can from the first, which was Ger Loughnane back in 2001. It’s some archive.
“The beauty of Laochra Gael we find is that the programmes last forever. We put the Kieran Donaghy one out as a filler after a live match on a Sunday afternoon and it had a huge viewership with people still talking about it as if Kieran was still playing or had just retired recently.
“It’s not all about ratings. The feedback we get is fantastic. A couple of years ago we extended the programmes from half an hour to an hour. It’s come to a stage where it’s very hard to tell someone’s life story in 30 minutes so the extended running time has worked extremely well.
“The human interest stories within the GAA is what makes Laochra Gael.”
That has been the calling card of the series since inception. Nemeton, the Ring-based production company behind Laochra Gael, has varied the approach over the years, occasionally producing family-themed programmes, such as the Lowrys from Offaly, the Meehans from Galway and Wexford hurling royalty, the Rackards.
There were also strands introduced to commemorate epic contests but Ó Coisdealbha says that the core business of telling former players’ stories remains the most popular.
“We did a series on rivalries – the four Dublin-Meath matches in ‘91, for instance – just to try out the idea but the abiding interest is in the players and what they have to say. If you talk to players who have appeared on programmes afterwards, they’ll tell you they were getting messages while it was being broadcast.
“They’ll say that they got a lot of feedback and many are thankful for the chance to tell their story.”
Not every former player is ready or willing to participate, especially as the life experiences have been difficult for some.
“The stories can be hard to tell, between gambling and alcohol addictions and mental health difficulties and so on but if a top sportsperson talks about challenges, such as addiction, it can definitely help and inspire other people when they see these problems can happen to anyone.”
The 22 series also add up to a formidable archive on past players and events. Laochra Gael may have started as a straightforward television programme but it now equates to a significant resource on the history of the games from the middle of the last century.
It is also striking that many of the subjects are now deceased. Of the first 10 programmes in 2001, six have died, including the oldest interviewee, John Wilson, who played in the Polo Grounds final for Cavan in 1947.
“Well, 23 years – and long may it continue – means that sadly, when you look through the archives there are a lot of players and managers who unfortunately have passed away,” says Ó Coisdealbha.
“But their story has been told and is there on the TG4 Player for anyone to watch. Families appreciate that we have told the story and for them and children and grandchildren, the record is there forever and is a great compilation of their career on and off the field.”
Laochra Gael series 22, 2024 on Thursday evenings at 9.30
Programme 1: Richie Power (Kilkenny), January 25th; Programme 2: Tony Scullion (Derry), February 1st; Programme 3: Lindsay Peat (Dublin), 9.30pm, 8th February; Programme 4: Tony Griffin (Clare), February 15th; Programme 5: Alan Kerins (Galway), February 22nd; Programme 6: Pat Critchley (Laois), February 29th; Programme 7: Ciara Gaynor (Tipperary), March 7th; Programme 8: Kevin Hughes (Tyrone), March 14th.
